Washington - Nine consumer privacy organizations on Wednesday asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create a list of consumers who do not want their online behavior tracked for advertising and other purposes, similar to the national "Do Not Call" list the FTC operates to prevent calls from telemarketers.

Behavioral advertising tracks which websites and other information consumers seek on the Internet, and then uses that data to serve more relevant ads.

Supporters of the proposed "Do Not Track List" include the Center for Democracy and Technology, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy Activism, Public Information Research, Privacy Journal, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and World Privacy Forum.

The organizations' proposal calls for a new definition of "'personally identifiable information' updated to reflect the realities of today's Internet"; more robust disclosures on tracking to consumers; independent auditing of companies engaged in tracking; a prohibition on collection of personally identifiable data related to health and financial activities; and the establishment of a national "Online Consumer Protection Advisory Committee."

"Online opt-outs should be as well-known and as easy as the Do Not Call list," said Mark Cooper, director of research at the Consumer Federation of America.

Related Links:
http://www.cdt.org/press/20071031press.php

http://tinyurl.com/2rfz83 (AP)

http://opt-out.cdt.org